Best Universities for Philosophy in the World

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the World ranked based on their research performance in Philosophy. A graph of 315M citations received by 19.8M academic papers made by 6,566 universities in the World was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Sao Paulo

Brazil | Sao Paulo

For Philosophy

#1 in Latin America

#1 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 97,964
Founded: 1827

2. Stanford University

United States | California

For Philosophy

#1 in North America

#1 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,279

3. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Philosophy

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $21,669
Enrollment: 45,307

4. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Philosophy

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,491

5. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Philosophy

#4 in North America

#1 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Philosophy

#5 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 74%

7. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Philosophy

#1 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

8. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Philosophy

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Philosophy

#6 in North America

#5 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1555
Average ACT: 36
Net Price: $20,232

10. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Philosophy

#7 in North America

#6 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,060

11. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Philosophy

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

12. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Philosophy

#8 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $14,731
Enrollment: 52,319

13. State University of Campinas

Brazil | Campinas

For Philosophy

#2 in Latin America

#2 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1966

14. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Philosophy

#9 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 57%
Average Aid: $21,766
Enrollment: 46,430

15. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Philosophy

#10 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,058

16. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Philosophy

#11 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

17. National Autonomous University of Mexico

Mexico | Mexico City

For Philosophy

#3 in Latin America

#1 in Mexico

Enrollment: 360,883
Founded: 1551

18. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Philosophy

#12 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,123

19. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Philosophy

#13 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,647

20. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Philosophy

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 58%

21. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

Brazil | Porto Alegre

For Philosophy

#4 in Latin America

#3 in Brazil

Founded: 1934

22. New York University

United States | New York State

For Philosophy

#15 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,499

23. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Philosophy

#16 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $33,499

24. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Philosophy

#4 in Europe

#1 in France

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 35,114
Founded: 1150

25. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Philosophy

#17 in North America

#2 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 20,893
Founded: 1908

26. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Philosophy

#18 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $20,782
Enrollment: 42,006

27. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Philosophy

#19 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,698

28. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Philosophy

#20 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 89%

29. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Philosophy

#21 in North America

#19 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $36,991

30. University of Liege

Belgium | Liege

For Philosophy

#5 in Europe

Enrollment: 25,421
Founded: 1817

31. University of Montreal

Canada | Quebec State

For Philosophy

#22 in North America

#3 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 66,972
Founded: 1878

32. Sao Paulo State University

Brazil | Sao Paulo

For Philosophy

#5 in Latin America

#4 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1976

33. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Philosophy

#23 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 68%

34. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Brazil | Rio de Janeiro

For Philosophy

#6 in Latin America

#5 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 67,329
Founded: 1920

35. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Philosophy

#6 in Europe

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

36. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Philosophy

#24 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 83%

37. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Philosophy

#25 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $24,034

38. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Philosophy

#26 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $36,808

39. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Philosophy

#7 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

40. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Philosophy

#27 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 63%

41. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Philosophy

#28 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 82%

42. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Philosophy

#29 in North America

#4 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

43. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Philosophy

#8 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1632

44. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Philosophy

#9 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

45. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Philosophy

#30 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 59%

46. Complutense University of Madrid

For Philosophy

#10 in Europe

#1 in Spain

Enrollment: 71,806
Founded: 1508

47. Autonomous University of Barcelona

Spain | Cerdanyola del Valles

For Philosophy

#11 in Europe

#2 in Spain

Enrollment: 30,926

48. Arizona State University - Tempe

United States | Arizona

For Philosophy

#31 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $12,381
Enrollment: 80,065

49. Federal University of Minas Gerais

Brazil | Belo Horizonte

For Philosophy

#7 in Latin America

#6 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Founded: 1927

50. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Philosophy

#32 in North America

#28 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

51. University of Barcelona

Spain | Barcelona

For Philosophy

#12 in Europe

#3 in Spain

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 64,236
Male:Female: 86:14

52. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Philosophy

#33 in North America

#29 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 70%

53. University of Granada

Spain | Granada

For Philosophy

#13 in Europe

#4 in Spain

Founded: 1531

54. Federal University of Santa Catarina

Brazil | Florianopolis

For Philosophy

#8 in Latin America

#7 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1960

55. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Philosophy

#1 in Australia

Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

56. University of Buenos Aires

Argentina | Buenos Aires

For Philosophy

#9 in Latin America

#1 in Argentina

Enrollment: 262,932
Founded: 1821

57. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Philosophy

#34 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

58. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Philosophy

#2 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1853

59. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Philosophy

#35 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 94%

60. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Philosophy

#14 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Enrollment: 28,413
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1386

61. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Philosophy

#36 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,095

62. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Philosophy

#37 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

63. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Philosophy

#38 in North America

#34 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,829

64. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Philosophy

#39 in North America

#5 in Canada

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

65. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Philosophy

#40 in North America

#35 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,694

66. University of Brasilia

Brazil | Brasilia

For Philosophy

#10 in Latin America

#8 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1962

67. University of Ottawa

Canada | Ontario

For Philosophy

#41 in North America

#6 in Canada

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

68. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Philosophy

#15 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 52,418
Founded: 1472

69. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Philosophy

#42 in North America

#36 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $20,548
Enrollment: 39,679

70. University of Tokyo

For Philosophy

#1 in Asia

#1 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,218
Founded: 1877

71. University of Chile

Chile | Santiago

For Philosophy

#11 in Latin America

#1 in Chile

Founded: 1842

72. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Philosophy

#16 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

73. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Philosophy

#17 in Europe

#2 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1636

74. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Philosophy

#2 in Asia

#1 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

75. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Philosophy

#18 in Europe

#7 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1829

76. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Philosophy

#3 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

77. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Philosophy

#19 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

78. Laval University

Canada | Quebec State

For Philosophy

#43 in North America

#7 in Canada

Enrollment: 45,000
Founded: 1852

79. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Philosophy

#20 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 44,000
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1868

80. University of the State of Rio de Janeiro

Brazil | Rio de Janeiro

For Philosophy

#12 in Latin America

#9 in Brazil

Founded: 1950

81. University of Queensland

Australia | St Lucia

For Philosophy

#3 in Australia

Enrollment: 48,771
Founded: 1909

82. University of California - San Francisco

United States | California

For Philosophy

#44 in North America

#37 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,140
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

83. University of Iowa

United States | Iowa State

For Philosophy

#45 in North America

#38 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 91%

84. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Philosophy

#46 in North America

#39 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 74%

85. University of Virginia

United States | Virginia

For Philosophy

#47 in North America

#40 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 54%

86. University of Valencia

Spain | Valencia

For Philosophy

#21 in Europe

#5 in Spain

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 58,390

87. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Philosophy

#22 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

88. University of Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Philosophy

#23 in Europe

#2 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

89. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Philosophy

#4 in Asia

#1 in China

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 21,652
Founded: 1911

90. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Philosophy

#5 in Asia

#2 in China

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

91. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Philosophy

#24 in Europe

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

92. Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Israel | Jerusalem

For Philosophy

#6 in Asia

#2 in Israel

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 23,500
Founded: 1918

93. Australian National University

Australia | Canberra

For Philosophy

#4 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1946

94. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Philosophy

#48 in North America

#41 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $17,411
Enrollment: 35,937

95. University of Seville

Spain | Seville

For Philosophy

#25 in Europe

#6 in Spain

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1505

96. University of Hamburg

Germany | Hamburg State

For Philosophy

#26 in Europe

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

97. Monash University

Australia | Clayton

For Philosophy

#5 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 78,000
Founded: 1958

98. Washington University in St Louis

United States | Missouri

For Philosophy

#49 in North America

#42 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $23,432

99. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Philosophy

#6 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1949

100. National University of Colombia

Colombia | Bogota

For Philosophy

#13 in Latin America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 54,284
Founded: 1867

Liberal Arts & Social Sciences subfields in the World

Anthropology4117

Archaeology6040

Art History1941

Broadcast Journalism1052

Classics and Ancient History2556

Communications and Public Relations3255

Criminology and Criminal Justice1307

Early Childhood Education1039

Education Majors4239

Forensic Science1000

Gender Studies2091

Human Rights Law1000

Intellectual Property and Patent Law1054

International Law1021

International Relations and Diplomacy1024

Journalism and Digital Media1510

Law Enforcement1013

Library and Information science2980

Linguistics5870

Media Studies1385

Military science1139

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution1019

Occupational Safety and Health1027

Political Economy1244

Political Science6606

Public Policy / Administration1677

Radio and Television broadcasting1187

Social Work1028

Special Education1011

Sports / Exercise science1145

Theology / Divinity / Religious studies4103

Urban and Regional planning1321